Daniel

The July 14th edition of Vatican Radio’s 105Live program has this segment addressing Harry Potter:

Speak Of The Devil…
The forthcoming publication of the sixth in the Harry Potter series on Saturday has triggered speculation as to the alleged subtle seduction and distortion of Christianity therein. But perhaps remarks Msgr Fleetwood, a new age expert and former official at the Pontifical Council for Culture, part of the problem is people don’t understand the British, their language, their way of life and sense of humour!

Because Vatican Radio only keeps the most current seven episodes on their web site, you’ll need to listen to this piece today (July 19, 2005) or tomorrow to hear the full segment. I’m posting the link anyway because of the recent “Pope hates Potter” stories that have been appearing here and elsewhere.

Yahoo News reports on Rebuilding of Baghdad library speaks volumes on tenacity:

Today, two librarians and a gardener watch over the library. Hussein says she’s happy to receive the few visitors she gets each day. One day, she might get a computer to keep a record of her books.

For now, just having books is enough.

Do any Newzters think we can send this true librarian hero a laptop loaded with ResourceMate or some other simple OPAC? I’d be happy to contribute $$ if someone could figure out the shipping logistics.

In response to a prior story on Alaska’s statewide Summer Reading Program theme of Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds, Sue Sherif, School Library/Youth Services Coordinator for the Alaska State Library undertook an informal survey of libraries using this program.

Her results?

[I] received a small, mixed response. Not everyone reported enrollments down, and, except for one other person, the librarians reporting had had no comments from their patrons on the theme so I don’t think the reaction to the theme is widespread.

More proof that a single case does not prove a trend. Thanks to Sue for digging deeper into this story!

Anonymous Patron writes “Despite the success of the recent crop of super hero films , it’s no secret that the increased interest in those characters hasn’t exactly translated into a dramatic upswing in the sales of the comic books that spawned them.

So, IGN.com asks why aren’t more moviegoers flocking to their local comic book shops or online to start picking up the monthly adventures of the characters they just spent ten bucks to see on the big screen? One of the reasons can be traced back to the creation of the sell-thru titles back in the early ’80s with the release of Dazzler #1 by Marvel Comics in 1981″

Anonymous Patron writes “A Miami TV Station reports that the Wolfson Archivist-Librarian has been charged with grand theft, using fraudulent checks and official misconduct.”

The Senate Intelligence Committee’s proposed amendments to the PATRIOT Act are now available as S. 1266.

Aside from other changes that can be debated later, this version of the bill introduces a number of helpful statistical reports regarding Sec. 215 activity in libraries and bookstores, including:

Sec. 811 (b)

SEMIANNUAL REPORT ADMINISTRATIVE ON SUBPOENAS REQUESTED.–On a semiannual basis, the
Attorney General shall submit to the committees of Congress referred to in subsection (a) and to the Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting forth, with respect to the preceding six-month period–
(1) the total number of administrative sub-poenas issued under this title;
(2) the total number of certifications under section 807(a);
(3) the total number of petitions filed under section 808;
(4) the total number of petitions modified or set aside pursuant to section 808(a); and
(5) the total number of administrative subpoenas issued under this title requiring the production of any records or other materials from or with respect to each of the following:
(A) From a library, as defined in section 213(2) of the Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 9122(2)).

(More below the fold)

The Senate Intelligence Committee’s proposed amendments to the PATRIOT Act are now available as S. 1266.

Aside from other changes that can be debated later, this version of the bill introduces a number of helpful statistical reports regarding Sec. 215 activity in libraries and bookstores, including:

Sec. 811 (b)

SEMIANNUAL REPORT ADMINISTRATIVE ON SUBPOENAS REQUESTED.–On a semiannual basis, the
Attorney General shall submit to the committees of Congress referred to in subsection (a) and to the Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting forth, with respect to the preceding six-month period–
(1) the total number of administrative sub-poenas issued under this title;
(2) the total number of certifications under section 807(a);
(3) the total number of petitions filed under section 808;
(4) the total number of petitions modified or set aside pursuant to section 808(a); and
(5) the total number of administrative subpoenas issued under this title requiring the production of any records or other materials from or with respect to each of the following:
(A) From a library, as defined in section 213(2) of the Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S.C. 9122(2)).

(More below the fold)

(B) From a person or entity primarily engaged in the sale, rental, or delivery of books,
journals, magazines, or other similar forms of
communication whether in print or digitally.

As it stands now, the reports listed above will not be made public. Aside from being distributed to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, these reports will also be distributed to “the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives”

That’s too bad, because it prevents the vast majority of Congressmembers from having accurate information to see if these provisions are being abused. Needless to say, under the proposed legislation the public will continue to be kept in the dark about how the gov’t is exploiting their reading habits.

Charlotte Glover of the Ketchikan Public Library posted this Summer Reading Program success story to our state association list and allowed me to share it with the LISNews audience.

Ketchikan Public Library is using the same statewide Summer Reading Program theme I wrote about earlier.

We are having a hugely popular program, primarily because we shortened the title to “Dragon Quest 2005” and are focusing on books about Knights, dragons, King Arthur, etc. We still used all the theme stuff, but we did not emphasize it in the same way. Slightly more than 300 registered to date…with are all time high being 425 during the pulp mill era. The storytellers drew a crowd pushing 100 and the kids were spellbound. Every single child was engaged except one nine or ten year old girl who was obviously a summer jewelry store owner’s kid and wasn’t up to speed on my expectations! She learned by the end of the show:)

As Charlotte implies, the population of Ketchikan used to be higher. As recently as 2001, the City of Ketchikan had 8,455 people. The most recent AK Dept of Labor estimate (2004) puts the current population of Ketchikan was 7,691. So 300 registrations is still very successful!

Stories are trickling in from around Alaska to the statewide association mailing list that suggest Summer Reading Program registrations may be down this year compared to last year. One of the reasons mentioned by at least two librarians is that the theme of Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds is turning off parents afraid their children will be exposed to Harry Potter and other literary magic. Interesting, there’s no special focus on magic in Alaska’s SRP, but there is a picture of a wizard on the promotional materials.

How about your Summer Reading Programs? Are registrations down? Do you think your theme has something to do with it? How could you tell if it did?

Note: The Alaska Library Association mailing list is not archived, so I don’t feel comfortable reposting e-mails.

vonjobi writes “Laura Bush on finding romance in spite of being a librarian:

The amazing thing, however, is that George and I were just meant to be. I was the librarian who spent 12 hours a day in the library, yet somehow I met George.

The complete transcript is available on USA Today. But you should also check out the story.”

Also see Norma’s journal entry on this story.

Anonymous Patron writes “KurdishMedia News reports that the end of the Saddam Hussein regime’s censorship controls has led to porn theaters, at least in Sulaimaniyah.”